Does exercise offset the risks of sitting?
Ask the doctor
I'm 63 and take brisk walks for a total of two to three hours a week, just like you recommend. But the rest of the time I sit — at a computer, at the kitchen table, or in front of the TV. Is that healthy?The study confirmed again that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week does improve your health, particularly your heart health. But the study also was able to show that, among those people who got the recommended amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, those who were the most sedentary the rest of the time had a greater risk of developing heart failure and dying from heart disease, when compared to those who were less sedentary.
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About the Author
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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